Jim Donaldson: Chargers Smith is back in the chase

"I hate to give you this," said A.J. Smith, the Chargers'general manager, by way of Cranston and Bishop Hendricken High,"but it's huge."

It is, of course, only 1 of 16. But it's a Big One. And it mayloom even larger come January than it does now.

"If you think the Patriots are going to be there at the end ofthe year, and you think the Chargers are going to be there, too,then it could determine seeding in the playoffs," Smith said.

Most people think both the Chargers and Pats will be playing inthe postseason. Indeed, they're favored to win their respectivedivisions. So it's possible that the outcome of this afternoon'shome opener at Gillette Stadium ultimately could determine whetherthe AFC Championship Game will be played in Foxboro or SanDiego.

That's still a long way off, especially considering that thePatriots haven't won a playoff game since beating the Chargers inthe AFC title game in the near-historic 2007 season, and that SanDiego didn't even make the playoffs last year.

That was due to a terrible start in which the Chargers lost fiveof their first seven games, in large part because of horrendousplay on special teams.

The Chargers have been notoriously slow starters in recentyears. They were 2-3 after five games in both 2009 and 2008. Andeven in 2007, when they made it to the conference finals, theyopened the season 1-3.

Not surprisingly, then, it has been a point of emphasis thissummer in San Diego to get off to a much better start - and to havevastly improved special teams.

Smith described the Chargers' special teams play last season as"a complete debacle."

That may be an understatement.

The Chargers gave up a 94-yard punt return in the season openerat Kansas City. The following week, against Jacksonville, they hada punt blocked. Playing at Seattle in Week Three, they allowed theSeahawks' Leon Washington to run two kickoffs back fortouchdowns.

Then, at Oakland, the Raiders blocked the first two punts theChargers attempted. Finally, in what was a fitting end, theChargers allowed another kickoff return at Denver in the last gameof the season, making an embarrassing bookend to a disappointingyear.

"We had breakdowns by veterans," said Smith, attempting todescribe what went wrong. "We had youngsters who didn't know whatthey were doing. It was a disaster."

This year, the Chargers were determined to avert disasters onspecial teams and another slow start.

So what happened on the opening kickoff last Sunday in SanDiego? The Vikings' Percy Harvin returned it 102 yards for atouchdown.

Even worse, injury was added to insult as the Chargers' highlyaccurate, veteran kicker, Nate Kaeding, suffered torn kneeligaments trying to tackle Harvin and has been placed on InjuredReserve, sidelining him for the remainder of the season.

Injuries also were a problem last year for San Diego, which hadthree of its best offensive players - tight end Antonio Gates andwide receivers Vincent Jackson and Malcolm Floyd, all together onthe field for just one game.

"To go all the way," said Smith, "you've got to be good, lucky,and injury-free."

On paper, the Chargers look good enough to go all the way.Despite missing the playoffs last year, they led the league in bothtotal offense and fewest yards allowed defensively.

"I don't give a damn about that," Smith said. "We fellshort."

He knows all too well what that feels like.

The loss in the 2007 title game at New England was tough totake, and Smith also suffered through four consecutive Super Bowllosses with the Bills, when he was assistant director of collegescouting, and then director of pro personnel in Buffalo.

Although the Chargers have won five AFC West titles in Smith'seight years as GM and are riding a club-record streak of sevenconsecutive winning seasons, he has yet to win a much-coveted SuperBowl ring.

Thus earning the label from his detractors as the "Lord of NoRings."

And, yes, he does have detractors.

"The theme on me," he says with bemusement, rather than anger,"is that I'm a crazy, egotistical power freak."

If that truly were the case, Smith never would have risen from apart-time film grader with the Patriots while he was teachingphysical education at Bridgham Middle School in Providence to GM ofa team that, under his stewardship, has consistently been one ofthe best in the NFL.

This year, if they can stay reasonably healthy, and be at leasta little bit lucky - and if they can get past the Patriots - theChargers could be THE best.

"We've got to make our move now," Smith said, stressing the needfor the Chargers to get out of the starting blocks quickly, for achange. "After going to New England, we have the Chiefs andDolphins at home. If we're only 2-2 after that, things could beugly.

"Now, if we can go up there to Foxboro and pull off an upset,it's like 'Wow! The Chargers are for real!' But if New Englandwins, people will be saying we're the same old Chargers - thatwe're talented, but we mess up."

After bouncing back from that disastrous opening kickoff and a17-7 halftime deficit, to beat the Vikings last week, Smithbelieves things are looking up for the Chargers.

"We're going to have a lot of answers after our first fourgames," he said. "I'm excited. We have peace and harmony here now,after having had some turmoil last year. It's a new year. We'refired up to be at it again. I love the chase."

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